Rethinking Inventorship in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: A Legal Analysis of AI-Generated Inventions

In the study, three main questions are discussed, namely, can AI become an inventor in accordance with the current legislation, how should AI-generated inventions be owned, and is the existing legal framework capable of handling the issues of autonomous technologies. The paper uses a doctrinal and comparative approach of analysis of the Indian patent law as compared to international jurisdictions such as the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia, China and Japan with specific reference to the landmark case of DABUS. The results of the research indicate that the judicial consensus on the principle of inventorship as a preserve of natural personalities is nearly universal, supported by statutory interpretation and lack of legal personality in AI systems. The unavailability of statutory guidance on AI inventorship in India and the limited nature of the Section 3(k) and the inefficiency of the patent office system poses a high degree of legal uncertainty, which does not encourage innovation or investment. The paper states that the Patents Act should be reformed and promptly. It suggests reinventing inventorship to reflect AI-enhanced work, creating explicit default ownership systems, creating specific guidelines on patentability, using a regulatory sandbox, and integrating ethical measures against monopolization. The paper argues that these reforms should strike a balance between a stimulus to technological improvement and safeguarding the interests of the greater population.